Little by Little Homeschool - Christian Homeschooling and Motherhood

We can all (and should) admit that homeschooling can be hard. There are highs and lows and concerns that moms have that are legitimate. At times, it all just feels so overwhelming. And you might feel stuck...wishing for someone to swoop in and wave a magic wand and everything will be better. But what if I think that outsourcing is what is keeping you stuck in that cycle of concerns and problems? T...

It can be so easy to slip away from our first goals of homeschooling and become so rigid in our home education. The pressure from state requirements, family members, the desire for them to excel, or just getting lost in the weeds of what we are really preparing our children for is very common. One thing that gets pushed easily to the back burner is creativity. Children are naturally creative and a...

The academics are important in homeschool, but it wasn't the only reason you decided to homeschool. Were you hoping to preserve your children's innocence, time, and heart? If so, it can be so easy to fill up and maximize every moment of the homeschool years. And those may be filled with really good things, but what if you look back someday and realize they lost childhood because of your ze...

It's been a while since we've done a Q&A and the questions have been piling up. As always, these are so good and I hope that you find some encouragement and next steps with my answers. There is also a schedule shift coming with the podcast and I'll share why and how that affects you. Thanks for listening to this episode! Enjoy... ♥ Leigh DESIGN YOUR FAMILY'S UNIQUE HOMESCHOOL T...

You've poured your heart into homeschool and yet, you are being met with resistance. You have a child (or children) who say they don't like school and they don't want to learn. What's a mom to do? Quit? No. Let's get to the root of the problem, so we can expose a solution because I believe your best homeschool days are right on the other side of this. ♥ Leigh GET YOUR TICKET FO...

It might be hard to imagine at the beginning of the homeschool year, but there will be hard days at times. Maybe even ones you'd call "bad." And it doesn't matter how long you've been homeschooling. Rough days are inevitable, no matter how much you plan, pivot, and work on attitudes. Now that we know there will be some bad days, what is done in light of that bad day, is what is...

There is a phenomenon that occurs in homeschool households across the world every day. And you would think we, as homeschool moms, would have embraced it with zeal and excitement. Well, maybe you have, but I certainly did not. It's called: everyone needs {and wants} to eat again. So here you are, back in the kitchen providing another meal or snack. And it is sucking the last bit of joy out of...

Every great mission begins with a vision for what it plans to accomplish. And this applies to homeschool. You didn't just randomly choose to swim upstream against the current and do something different than the culture at large on a whim. No, you had your reasons. But somewhere along the way, it's so easy for homeschool moms to get lost in the weeds of homeschool and lose sight of what you...

As a homeschool mom with three graduates and a front row seat to older teens and young adults, I can see first hand the benefit of taking the time when our children are young to teach them specific habits and skills. Does it take longer? Yes. Will it sometimes be frustrating? Yes. Do you only do the easy things as a parent? No. Today's episode is my {insert dramatic sigh} plea to see the oppor...

Maybe you are finding yourself in a season of questioning why you are doing this. And realizing that you really just don't like homeschool. Or possibly, it's never been something that you found joy in and do it for other reasons And some of you are just curious to know if you actually do like it. Welcome to this episode! First, we are all friends here. Let's admit the things that we ar...

When you think about homeschool, your mind most likely goes straight to curriculum, co-ops, field trips, and so on. And that is totally understandable, as it is a part of homeschool. But, take a step back and look at the big picture of homeschooling. It's not just the education of particular subjects, but more like an entire way of living. Beyond the home education, moms have a lot to factor i...

You've got a brood...or maybe a small army...of children. Whether it's 2, 5, or 15 kids, there is a skill that comes with time as a mother managing multiple children at once. And maybe you are feeling good about keeping up with everyone in the day to day, but add in the homeschool and it's been a rough go of it. There is no shame in needing some advice or help. Listen, I am now the fir...

More than anything else, homeschool moms question their own ability to homeschool. We don't typically doubt our children's ability to learn. Am I enough? Can I really do this? Will they be doomed because of me? And...do I have the capacity to homeschool? I'm not mincing words in this episode because you probably don't need any fluff right about now. What I want is to shoot it strai...

Right now is the perfect time to sit in a little bit of tension and admit frustration or a lack of excitement for your homeschool year. All is not lost! You are not a bad homeschool mom because you see the need to overhaul your home education. I actually think it's a brave and humble thing to admit the need for some sweeping changes to your family. In this episode, I have a step by step plan f...

In an effort to make sure that we are "doing enough," the typical homeschool mom will add a bunch more things to the list and then wonder if it's too much. Funny how we like to swing that pendulum from one end to another. Today's episode is aimed at how much is too much for your homeschool. I have a few key points that will help you to measure this as you step into the new homescho...

One skill that can easily be overlooked as we raise our children is how they can conversate and relate to other people. Interpersonal skills are greatly underrated, yet we know as homeschool parents how it can help or hinder a young person. What if homeschoolers were the ones that showed their peers what it was like to have a thoughtful conversation with other people? They can be and I don't t...

To be honest, I was a little behind the 8 ball on teaching logic to my homeschoolers. If I must confess, I will tell you that I didn't even know about this subject, until...I did! And then, we jumped straight into it and it became a staple of their home education. But that included me using a handful of resources and muddling through the process without having a clear vision. Today's episo...

I think this will go down as one of the big questions of the decade. Many in our culture are discussing and debating artificial intelligence (AI), but let's specifically narrow it down to our Christian home and education. To be honest, my thoughts have changed on AI, as well as my ability to see various sides. Is it as nefarious as some say? As innocent as the creators purport it to be? Or som...

I'm not knocking the homeschool curriculum. Actually, I am a fan of it. But something is very easily lost when we have quick and easy access {and guidance} to teach our homeschoolers. What if there is something to them earning their education? No, they don't need to pay for it in dollars and cents. Recently, I came across a video that had nothing to do with homeschooling, but it really got...

Homeschool is hard work. There is no way around some of the rough seasons, subjects, and relationships. And when those times come, we can shift our focus off the hard and start searching for an easy way out. And it's not only when homeschooling feels hard. This can even happen in general as the day in and day out can feel overwhelming. Sometimes, the easy way out isn't always the best. Goi...

Every single family approaches the topic of dating differently. There may be some overlap, but every family is unique, so there will always be some variability. Even for my family, there has been a progression and changes throughout the years. And it's finally time to share our story and perspective on dating. My goal is not to sway you to our way of doing this, but rather to share our story a...

For many of the years of parenting and homeschooling, we wonder if what we're doing will make an impact on our children. We mull over what they will take away from these years. Recently, I got a peek into something about the homeschool years that surprised me. Not only did he tell me, but he spoke it publicly to all of those who attended his back yard homeschool graduation ceremony. What he sa...

You remember the day that your tiny baby boy lay nestled in your arms for the first time. And as he grew, so did your relationship. The two of you are buddies and he adores you. The {not so funny} thing about little boys is that they grow up. And before we know it, they're the size of grown men and we wonder how we fit into the world now. It wasn't long ago that I struggled with what my re...

Who doesn't want a happy homeschool mom? The kids sure do. Your husband does. And I can guarantee that you do too! Let's think of today's episode as a big pot of stew. We'll throw 10 ingredients into it and out pops a happier homeschool mom. Grab a pen and paper and take a few notes of the areas that you feel God wants you to focus on so that you can be the homeschool mom that has...

Sometimes it seems like homeschoolers have their own secret language of terms. And today we are going to crack open one of those words: deschooling. Let's tackle the subject of what it actually is. And then focus in on why you, as a homeschool parent, need to do it. The goal is for you to feel empowered to take education back from what you think it needs to be to what it can be in your home. A...